Europe

UK - Trade unions are pledging their support to a charity which aims to encourage occupational pension scheme members to lobby companies on workers' rights.

UK - Frank Russell has added US and UK quantitative funds to its multi-manager range.

UK - Growing numbers of company finance chiefs are showing signs of dissatisfaction with current risk management standards, although corporate governance experts are sceptical.

UK - Dresdner RCM Investors said that it is no longer looking to appoint any key staff following the hiring of new UK and European equities director Trevor Green.

UK - The future direction of the Local Government Pensions Scheme is set to be revealed when government ministers respond to the DTLR's internal stocktake review in the next few weeks.

EUROPE - Mellon is reorganising its European fund services operations, merging is existing operations into one unit and rebranding it as Mellon European Fund Services.

UK - Derbyshire County Council Pension Fund is considering whether to back a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) -coordinated vote at BP's annual meeting over drilling in environmentally areas.

EUROPE - Institutional investors are being put off taking more active corporate governance roles in Sweden and Italy due to the sheer cost of taking action in those countries.

UK - Aside from encouraging scheme members to buy into personal pensions, the growing trend for companies to close their final-salary provision is hastening further the move of the fund management industry towards passive investment styles, all sides...

UK - The Railtrack Shareholders' Action Group and the private shareholders' action group have joined forces to pursue the legal action against transport secretary Stephen Byers and the DTLR.